Our culture is changing rapidly.

New books, movies, music, technology, food – even the way we process and share information.

Smaller, faster, portable, more convenient – these are the new forces shaping our reality.

But how do we distinguish passing fads from trends that affect our lives, our families, our communities and our world?

To find out, listen to Word of Mouth from New Hampshire Public Radio.

Hosted by Virginia Prescott, Word of Mouth is more than a radio show. It’s a critical look at the changes we’re seeing, and conversations about what the future will look like. And it’s available on the air, online, and on the go.

Be a part of Word of Mouth – listen, read, and discover what’s new, what’s next, and what keeps us connected.

Word of Mouth staff

Virginia Prescott, Host

If Virginia Prescott aspired to a style, she’d be Audrey Hepburn – if Hepburn had starred in “Girl on a Motorcycle.” In truth, she hopes to bring such a blend of highbrow culture and guilty-pleasure kitsch to Word of Mouth.

Prior to joining NHPR, Virginia was editor and producer for the nationally syndicated programs On Point and Here & Now produced at WBUR in Boston. Signing on as host for Word of Mouth completes a full circle of sorts. Virginia grew up in New Hampshire, but began her radio career at WWOZ Radio in New Orleans. She moved to New York City and worked for the team behind NPR’s Peabody Award-winning Jazz from Lincoln Center series with host Ed Bradley. Virginia then joined WNYC to launch the station’s website and oversee all its interactive media sites.

Throughout her radio career, Virginia helped set up independent radio stations in developing regions in southern and West Africa. She has also trained journalists in post-conflict zones from Sierra Leone to the former Yugoslavia. She was awarded a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University where she studied how broadcast media could spark dialogue and build community across terrestrial borders.

She is happy to be back in the relatively peaceful zone of making live radio. Above all, Virginia’s experiences have taught her that empowering local voices can create stronger, more informed communities.

Jen Nathan, Senior Producer

Jen Nathan is a radio junkie. Her formative years were spent listening to NPR from the back of her mom's hunter green Volvo. Jen’s college life was dominated by early morning radio slots and hosting WSPN's newscasts. An internship at WAMC Northeast Public Radio solidified her love of all things audio.

Jen went on to produce WAMC's flagship program The Roundtable where she tracked down dozens of Congresspersons and booked live music segments. From there, she traveled to Portland, Maine to attend the Salt Institute of Documentary Studies. Most recently, Jen was a biotech reporter for WFAE in Charlotte, North Carolina. She also edited audio for American Public Media’s The Story with Dick Gordon and started the blog Public Radio Redux.

With the help of strong coffee and her trusty alarm clock, Jen is an early morning riser. Her favorite things include her husband, his famous key lime pie, and weekend hikes with their mutt Kudzu.

Avishay Artsy, Producer/Director

Avishay discovered his desire for journalism early in life – as a cub reporter for his Nashua High School student newspaper. Besides his work on newsletters for senior citizen homes and a sailing center, he also helped found an alternative campus paper at Boston University and covered Congress for The Keene Sentinel in Keene, New Hampshire.

Avishay got his start in radio at WPFW-Pacifica Radio in Washington, D.C., where he covered local politics and helped produce the weekly shows MetroWatch and Voices With Vision. His international travels began with his birth in Tel Aviv, Israel and have since taken him to The Daily Graphic in Accra, Ghana, and Paris Live Radio in Paris, France. NHPR listeners may remember him as a news correspondent for the state’s southern region.

Just prior to his arrival at Word of Mouth, Avishay reported and produced news for NET Radio in Nebraska, served as the Omaha World-Herald’s online news editor, and was an editorial contributor for The Reader, Omaha's alt-weekly paper. His freelance pieces have aired on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Marketplace, Weekend America, and Only a Game among others. He is also an accomplished bread baker and is NRA-certified in basic pistol marksmanship.